For years, warranties and replacement guarantees have always been a big selling point for dealers and chains.”Peace of mind” is a go-to phrase of theirs, claiming that your safety and your wallet are secure even when outside of town. While in years past, that really was something the little guys couldn’t offer, today’s independent shop can offer a nationwide warranty too.

Generally speaking, aftermarket parts are of equal or better quality to original equipment. By law, they have to be. Even so, nothing is perfect, and occasionally a bad part slips through the cracks. Sometimes, you’re the person who gets that bad part and sometimes that part goes bad far away from home. So who incentivizes John Doe’s California Auto to honor the warranty of Manchester Auto and Tire of Mint Hill? The parts company does.

Independent Auto shops buy their parts at a discounted price from commercial accounts at certain parts stores. Since these stores want those big-ticket commercial accounts to keep coming back, they strike a deal: you buy a large majority of your parts from us, and we’ll cover them. Since these parts stores are chains, they can extend that offer across the country. This allows small business owners to stay independent and run their business as they see fit, but have the backing of a national company.

Check back next week for part two, where we provide an example of a nationwide warranty in-action.